MAYS LANDING – Maria Ivette Torres, chair of Atlantic Cape Community College’s Board of Trustees, announced March 17 that Dr. Peter L. Mora will retire as college president later this year.
Mora, of Palermo, is Atlantic Cape’s eighth president, having assumed the role July 1, 2005. He will retire effective Dec. 31.
“The Board of Trustees commends Dr. Mora on 41 years of dedicated service,” Torres wrote in a letter the same day to students, faculty and staff. “His vision and passion to foster student learning by promoting access, excellence and stewardship for all programs and services have been exemplary.”
He has also served the college as provost for Cape May County, dean of continuing education and extension centers, and associate dean of economic development and continuing education. He was associate dean of academics and also taught in and chaired the college’s developmental studies division.
“Dr. Mora’s vision and commitment to our mission and our community, and his deep caring for the students, faculty, staff and administration, the members of the Board of Trustees and the Foundation Board have been a driving force behind the college’s success over the past 11 years,” Torres stated.
“I am honored to have been part of the Atlantic Cape Community College family for the past 41 years. Over that time, I was privileged to serve on the faculty, as a senior-level administrator and, for the past 11 years, as college president. I thoroughly enjoyed all of those roles,” Mora stated.
“With respect to my role as college president, it is important for me to acknowledge the critical role all of the stakeholder groups that form the college community have played in working with me to create a shared vision for Atlantic Cape. Those groups are: trustees; senior staff; faculty and staff; students; the Atlantic Cape Foundation; and members of our program advisory committees. Without that shared vision, our institutional accomplishments simply would not have been possible,” Mora stated. “I personally recognize the commitment, expertise and integrity of each and every one of those persons in moving the college forward. Together, we have had some extraordinary achievements at Atlantic Cape. Finally, this collaborative effort has enabled Atlantic Cape to continue to fulfill our legacy of truly serving as the ‘community’s college.’”
Mora’s legacy includes:
- Opening of Cape May County Campus Aug. 24, 2005
- Partnering with Rutgers University in establishment of its Degree Completion Facility at Atlantic Cape’s Mays Landing Campus
- Implementation of a comprehensive Student Success Initiative, signifying a strong commitment to student success and completion
- Creation of Blueprint 2020, a 10-year, $65-million capital improvement plan for all three campuses that led to the opening of a STEM building in 2015, expansion of the Atlantic City Campus and procurement of funds for Student Success Centers at all three campuses
- Establishment of the Beacons by the Sea Visiting Professor
- Increased K-12 partnerships in Atlantic and Cape May counties
- Oversight of the college’s first major gifts campaign, Create Opportunity, which raised more than $3.5 million for scholarships and capital improvements
“Dr. Mora will be remembered for his dedication to our students and the communities of Atlantic and Cape May counties. Throughout the course of his tenure, our three campuses have been transformed into exceptional learning environments that will prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century. Indeed, we would not be where we are today without his leadership,” Torres stated.
